This Information Paper presents household level estimates of the imputed rent for owner-occupied dwellings derived from the 2003-04 and 2005-06 Surveys of Income and Housing and the 2003-04 Household Expenditure Survey.

Although household sector imputed rent estimates for owner-occupiers have been included in the Australian System of National Accounts for many years, the ABS has not previously released estimates of imputed rent at the household level.

Estimating imputed rent at the household level supports a broader comparison of the economic wellbeing of owner-occupier households and their social and economic circumstances relative to other households. The inclusion of imputed rent in household income estimates is in accord with the international standards for household income statistics.

The estimates presented in this publication are experimental in nature. The ABS would welcome any comments from users on the methodology applied in the study and the usefulness of the resulting estimates for analytical purposes. Comments can be forwarded to: Director, Living Conditions Section, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Locked Bag 10, BELCONNEN ACT 2616. Alternatively, email <living.conditions@abs.gov.au>.

The unit record imputed rent estimates are available on the following confidentialised unit record files (CURFs):

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